The Trials of Harry Potter
by Narnia's Protector
Summary: A collection of 500-word oneshots from James and Lily as they watch their son grow up.
1. The Begining of the New Age

**Author's Note: I've decided to do a few one-shots for Lily, and maybe James later, in 500 words. Most will be movie-verse since I know them better. I'll try to make them chronological, but I may end up with them being scattered. This one is before any of the books, when Harry is being born. **

The Beginning of the New Age

Spots swam in front of her eyes, and she bit back the urge to scream. The pain amounted to none she had ever felt, and she was afraid for the first time in her life that she was about to die. The only other time she had been so humiliated, so low, was her first year of Hogwarts, when Sylvia Roberts had hexed her on the train for insulting her dress robes. She was only dimly aware of what was happening around her- the murmur of voices, the doctor asking for more anesthesias. It wouldn't help- she wasn't strong enough.

_God, let my baby live…_ she prayed, scrunching up her eyes. Then, suddenly, miraculously, the pain ended. Lily Potter opened her eyes slowly, squinting in the suddenly bright light. _Strange,_ she thought,_ the Hollow usually isn't this bright. _ Then, after assessing the situation, she gasped. _I'm in Heaven. _ She looked around. Sure enough, her baby, her darling Harry wasn't with her. But he was alive- she knew it, using her newly acquired maternal instincts.

A figure was coming toward her. Lily shielded her face from the light and called out.

"Who's that? Hello?" she called. The figure smiled at her, and Lily had a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Dad?" she called. Yes, that was her father!

"Daddy!" she called, throwing herself at him, and shocked when she went through him. Her father smiled sadly.

"You can't honey. We're not the same any longer. You know that. I'm a ghost."

"I am too! At least, I think I am…" Lily replied. Suddenly, she wasn't so sure.

"Thank goodness, you're not a ghost. You have two boys to care for," the man said, his eyes gleaming with childish mischief. Lily blushed. It was true- she would have Harry, young as he was, and James, who had a mind of his own.

"Oh, okay. I'm- crazy? Is that it?" she asked.

"No, you just are in a state of mind until your body repairs itself. That was a messy labor, missy."

"Yes, I guess." Lily was still looking around. "So… what about James? And why are you here?"

"I came to warn you, Lily," he father said, his demeanor serious, "about Harry."

"What about him?" Lily asked, immediately worried.

"He… he has destiny, Lily. It seems the centaurs have predicted an attack on Godric's Hollow in about a year. I don't know when, exactly. Just keep Harry safe, and you'll be fine."

"An attack?" Lily asked, still confused. "By who?"

Her father bit his lip. "Voldemort," he said, and watched as Lily shuttered.

"Why would he want Harry?"

"I don't know, dear. Keep him safe. I see great things coming from him." The older man's eyes misted over. "He's… he's so much like James. Except… except for his eyes. He has your eyes." With that, her father began to fade. Lily realized she was crying.

"Dad! Dad, don't go!" she cried, as she was sucked back into reality, to her son.


	2. Firsts

**Author's Note- This is the second part of the 500- word oneshots, and it's about Harry's first word. More coming soon!**

Firsts

"James! James, where's the video camera?" Lily's voice cut through his thoughts as he stared out the window. The sun was bright overhead, making the entire earth shimmer. It was five months after Harry James Potter had been brought into the world, and even fun-loving James was enjoying the responsibilities of being a parent. Even now, as Lily obsessed over every move he made, James was there, being part of something bigger than him, bigger than the entire world. They were a family- they had love. It was pure and unconditional. It had nothing to do with wands or magic. There was no one telling him what to do, no voice giving him a lecture or a detention if he messed up. It was just them, and they were richer than kings.

"James!"

"I'm coming, love." He yelled back, grabbing the camera off of the table. "Here it is, what is it?"

"James, he blew _bubbles!_ Little bubbles with his wittle mouth!" she said, slipping into her baby-talk. James almost laughed when he saw Lily's face, frozen in a silly expression, staring up at him.

"What is so funny?" she asked.

"You are!" he said, leaning over and kissing her nose. "Your face-" now he was laughing, and she was too, "-is the funniest thing when you're around Harry."

"It's what everyone does, look at the Muggles with their crazy videos! They call it _Sesame Street_! What does that mean, anyway?" James laughed again.

"They're just being… creative, I guess. And just because you're a witch now doesn't mean you should call them Muggles. Your sister is one, ya know."

Lily's face dropped, and James regretted bringing up Petunia. She had moved away from Lily, married some stuffy businessman, and was cold and distant now. Ever since Lily had graduated and married James, going to Godric's Hollow, and living a normal wizard's life, she had shunned the both of them.

"Hey, it's alright. She'll come around, she'll have to- who wouldn't want to be around wittle Harry?" he said.

Lily laughed. "You look even funnier than I do when you talk like that."

"Hey, I'm a funny guy," he replied.

Lily turned on the video camera and pointed it at Harry. "Let's see some more bubbles, Harry. Come on, honey, let's see that face!" she cooed, zooming in. Harry, only just becoming used to his walker and the surroundings of Godric's Hollow, did not like when his mommy disappeared behind the video camera.

_WAAAAAAAAAAAH!_ He cried, throwing his stuffed dog in the air.

"See, Lily, told you he doesn't like it," James teased affectionately. He picked up Harry and walked around the room with him, talking to him in a soothing voice. In a few moments, the baby quieted and began to play with James' glasses.

"See, Lily, they need to be talked to like a person, not a dog." With the mention of dog, Harry looked up at his dad.

"You want your dog?"

Harry looked up. "Day-dee."

James didn't remember what happened after that, only that his heart burst with pride thinking about his son, his beloved Harry.


	3. God Protect Us

**Author's Note- This is kind of a more Sirius (ha ha, get it, serious, Sirius- ah well, never mind) fic, about (you guessed it!) Sirius, James, and Lily in the beginning of Philosopher's Stone. Couldn't wait to get it out, so it may be a little sketchy. **

God Protect Us

All was quiet in Godric's Hollow. The trees swayed slightly in the midsummer's night, and the street lamps flickered on, one by one. It was the silence that warned them- not a dog barked, there was no thunder, even though it was suck a cloudy night. There were no televisions on all around them. Nothing. James Potter and Lily Potter stared out the window, opened to a summer's breeze, and waited. It had been one year exactly since Harry had been born. Instead of celebrating, they were waiting in anxiety, because tonight, the centaur's prophecy would come true. There would be an attack, and Lily could only pray that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named would not heed the centaur and attack somewhere else.

Suddenly, one of two things happened. The streetlamps flickered out, one by one, and James squeezed her hand. They shut the window, and turned around to get Harry. A pop sent them backing up into the wall, Lily holding Harry protectively. A dark figure was sitting on the couch.

_God protect us, protect Harry…_ Lily prayed, staring at the man. James squinted, and a smile played across his lips.

"Padfoot! God, you near 'bout gave us a heart attack!" Sirius, however, was for once not in a joking mood.

"James," he said, panting, "Peter…" James cocked his head.

"What is it? What about Peter?"

"He… he betrayed you James, I don't know why, but the Dark Lord's on his way. Now!" Lily grabbed James' hand, and with the other hand, her wand.  
"He's after Harry," she murmered.

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "How do you… oh, never mind. Point is, you gotta get out."

James stood up and grabbed Sirius into a hug. "No, I'm sorry, Sirius."

"What?"

"We… we have to stay. The Dark Lord is angry… I can't put Lily in danger. Or Harry."

"How are you going to help?"

"We can stay. Lily can Apparate Harry out. Sirius- my friend- will you help me?"

Sirius stared deep into James' eyes. "Yes," he said slowly, "yes, I will."

"Hold the phone!" Lily said angrily. "If Voldemort's coming, I want to fight! Sirius, he has no quarrel with you, you take Harry!"

This went on for several minutes, until Sirius noticed a strange green light from the window.

"No…" he moaned. "God, no!" the Dark Lord was arriving.

James sprang into action. "Lily, hold Harry." James disappeared into the hallway, bringing back with him a silky cloak.

"The Invisibillity Cloak," Sirius breathed. "How did you…"

"No time," James said hurriedly. He pressed it into Sirius' hands. "Take Lilly and get out. Give this to Harry when he's old enough."

"James…" Sirius was very distraught at the thought of losing his friend.

"James, I'm not going! Lily cried, staring at him as if he were mad.

"Lily!"

"James!"

"Sirius, get her out!"

CRASH! The sound of glass and a car crunching in was heard through the window. Sirius took the cloak and ran into the hall.

"James! James, I'll help you! I'll help Harry! Don't worry….."


	4. Sorted

**Author's Note- This is Harry's first year (yay!) and James and Lily are watching him get sorted. Kinda prophetic on James' part, so if I must, spoilers for OotP.**

Sorted

"Potter, Harry?" _Minerva McGonagall's voice still sounded the same_, James thought as he stared down at the Great Hall at Hogwarts. So long ago had he been here, drinking pumpkin juice with his mates, ready for a new year? Of course, this would also be the time he would be courting Lily from time to time. James smiled, but the happiness was shortened. There was a reason he was here- his son was about to be Sorted. Oh, he looked so much like James! He saw Snivellus look at Harry twice before fixing him with a glare. _Bitter, bitter Severus. What's going to happen to you?_ James thought. Harry down below was perched on the stool, ready to be Sorted.

"Very interesting," the Hat said aloud, before slipping into Harry's brain. I clutched Lily's hand as we floated midair, watching our son. We weren't ghosts- not in the literal sense. We were merely spectators of what was happening in our son's life. It was a gift, James reasoned with himself- they never would have seen him at Hogwarts if they were alive. Still, he wished he could have been there…

In order to keep himself from tearing up, James looked around the Hall at the other students. At the head of the Slytherin table, grinning like mad was Lucius Malfoy's spawn. He was every inch his father, right down to the malicious glint in his eye. There was Frank and Alice's boy, Neville, looking scared to death and ready to be sorted. James felt a pang and bit his lip. Maybe- no, it was impossible. But he did have black hair, and his parents had been targeted by Voldemort, same as James and Lily. When they had died, they had heard the prophecy before anything- how one cannot live when the other survived. It was crazy, but maybe Harry would triumph against Voldemort. Maybe Neville could help him- James held no account of prophecies, except when they concerned his son.

Lily noticed her husband seemed upset, and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"He'll be fine. He's got it in his blood," she assured him.

"Yes, and he does have my dashing good looks, doesn't he?" James remarked, earning himself a push from Lily. They sat together on the beams of the Great Hall and watched.

Now, the hat was making his decision. The entire hall seemed to hold its breath, waiting for the House for the Boy Who Lived.

"Gryphindor!" the Hat yelled, earning a huge amount of cheering from the table. The boy Malfoy looked confused and angry, and James figured he had tried to influence Harry. Lily squeezed his hand.

"James, he did it! Our little boy.." she said, bursting with pride. James smiled weakly.

"It's like watching my own childhood.." he said as he watched Harry walk with another boy up to the table.

"No… it's _his_ childhood." Lily reminded him. "And he'll have a lot longer life than us."

"Definitely."


	5. Polyjuice Potion

**Author's Note: I had fun with this one, but it took me forever. I love seeing how James would react to Harry and Ron being more like Marauders. Enjoy…**

"_Why are you wearing glasses?"_

"_Um…reading?" It came out as more of a question._

"_Reading? I didn't know you could read…" Malfoy remarked drily, eyeing his minion- er, Harry- with distaste. James smirked silently, floating over the pureblood git's head. _

"_I'm severely contemplating hitting him with a rock…" he said to no one in particular._

"_You will do no such thing!" Lily told him, drifting through the wall beside him. James only smiled._

"_Just joking, love. A rock would be far too small to crush him. Perhaps the Bloody Baron would do me a favor…ow!"_

"_You deserved it," Lily said, hitting him again._

"_Look at him, Lily! The spitting image of his father. He'll be the one that had opened the Chamber, I'll bet…" James said. He knew this was the thousandth time he'd said it, but the strange older boy that had been Lucius Malfoy had gone on to be a Death Eater, and the very thought made James' flesh crawl._

"_You know that's not true. Only the Heir of Slytherin…" Lily told him, going on and on. James let himself tune her out and gazed down at the scene below him. Harry, playing the part of a sorry chap named Goyle, and his best friend Ron were sitting uncomfortably in the Slytherin Common Room, blundering about trying to act the part of two idiots. James grinned to himself. He could almost see Sirius and himself in that room…only they would be marauding, not being noble! _

_Lily trailed off, and James turned himself to Malfoy. "My father says the last time someone opened the Chamber, a Muggle girl died. Personally, I hope it's Granger this time." _

_Harry jerked to keep Ron from smacking the Malfoy boy's head off his shoulders. _

"_Oh, I hope they don't get into trouble!" Lily fretted her eyes on Harry. _

"_They'll be martyrs then," James said, a poor excuse for a joke. He knew that if we did see something happen, there would be no one around to help them. Two ghosts could do nothing… _

"_Look!" Lily pointed as Harry's scar shimmered into view. The two stood, mumbling apologies about bad pumpkin juice and hurried out of the room._

"_Nothing we can do," James said, and before the two knew it, he was sweeping down and knocking things around in the Slytherin common room. _

"_James, stop it!" Lily hissed, gliding down. Draco looked scared out of his wits. _

"_Who are you? Don't hurt me, don't hurt me," he groaned, looking around. _

"_James-"_

"_No, Lily! I hate this! Harry is putting himself in danger. He could die, Lily. What can we do to help him?"_

_XXXXX_

Amazingly, ghosts could do a lot. James watched as Ron and Harry were lifted out of the Chamber, by no other than Gildoroy Lockhart.

"Told you so," Lily said, smirking at him.

"Well, that was just luck."

"So Dumbledore just knew Harry needed the sword? And that Fawkes would be able to help too?"

James smiled and kissed Lily. "Precisely, love."


	6. Marauding

**Author's Note: I always wanted to see James' reaction to this. Lol it would certainly be funny! A little lighter of a chapter, and I realize Lily probably knew but I thought she may not have…you never know! **

Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs extend their regards to Professor Snape and-"Harry looked as if he was suppressing a laugh; from the shadows, James was practically on his back laughing. Lily even had to suppress a smile, knowing after many shows of the Marauder's Map and its abilities what would happen.

"Go on," Severus Snape said, raising an eyebrow.

"And would ask him to kindly keep his large nose out of other people's business." Harry finished. James completely lost it, tears rolling down his face.

"You didn't!" Lily said, trying to scold him.

"No. Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, and Padfoot did. Good ol' chaps," James said, smiling good-humouredly. Lily knew it was hard for him to exclude himself, but James had long ago taken to the idea of being silent sentinel and observing pranks from afar.

Harry read on, making Snape change colors and a couple of portraits snigger behind the greasy Professor's back. Finally, the Marauder's fun was interrupted…by none other than Remus J. Lupin, Moony himself.

"Poor Remus. How can he still teach? With his, y'know…" Lily said, looking down.

"The Shrieking Shack is howling again, I suppose," James said seriously. "Hope no one decides to investigate."

James tuned out the happenings below until Snape was gone and Harry was going to Lupin's office. "Harry," Lupin was saying, "This could be fatal in the hands of Sirius Black. Why you didn't turn it in astounds me."

"Sorry, sir."

"Well, I think I'll be keeping this. Assuming Severus doesn't want it, of course." Lupin watched Harry squirm a few moments before winking. "Off to bed, now."

"Sirius… what happened to him?" Lily asked piteously.

"Nothing, Lily. I'll tell you again, there is no way Sirius would have betrayed us. He would die rather than betray his friends."

"Then what happened? And why would he have escaped, come to Hogwarts?" Lily asked.

"I don't know! Maybe to warn Harry…" James trailed off. He had not, in all their years, told Lily what had happened that night.

"James?" Lily said.

"I suppose…I should have told you…"

"What?"

"The night we would have told Sirius where we were- he refused to be our Secret Keeper."

"WHAT?"

"He was afraid. So-" James swallowed. "So Peter took his place. See, there was no way Sirius could have told Voldemort. He didn't know."

Lily sat there, contemplating this. "You never told me."

"I didn't want to."

Lily came up to him, laying a hand on his arm. "It's alright. There was no need. Now we know Sirius will take care of Harry."

"Yeah, that's true. Who knows what my lovely sister-in-law would be doing to that poor boy after he blew up that woman Marge."

Lily shoved him. "Petunia wouldn't do anything."

"Lock him in a closet maybe? Starve him, or put bars on his door?"

"Anything except that."

Lily and James debated Petunia's methods for the rest of the night. So deeply neither saw the feet of Peter Pettigrew walk across the Marauder's Map.


	7. Graveyard

**Author's Note- Someone told me in reviews that my last post was not as good as the others (I don't remember who) THANK YOU. I'm so glad to be on here for the constructive criticism. I realize going back that the chapter definitely needed some work; and I hope this one is a little better. Please remember I'm doing 5oo word stories, so if you really want me to elaborate, I may do a longer one-shot pertaining to it. Now, enjoy.**

"NO!"

The words burst out of James' mouth as he charged through the course. Moody, that stupid git; well he wasn't a git really considering his real body was locked up under Bartimus Crouch, Jr.'s watch. The Portkey…he didn't know if he was too late to help Harry or not. Learning of the Tournament had been bad enough for Lily; but after learning about Barty's hoax and the way he had helped Harry through it, she had been horrified. James hadn't cared a bit about cheating; he knew that if Barty was here, there was something amiss. So he had tried to help Harry stay away from Moody/Crouch. That didn't work out so well. James bit his lip and flew through the maze.

There! Harry stood with his back to the shrubs surrounding the maze, wand shaking in his hand as he went up against Viktor Krum. James looked around, and then came up to Viktor; the two contestants did not see him, as always.

"You don't want to do that; the Cup is this way," he whispered in Krum's ear. Giving a satisfied grunt, Krum pulled his wand away from Harry and walked away. Harry breathed a sigh of relief. James stayed back, watching Krum walk away. He was about to follow Harry when the trees snapped shut and Lily appeared.

"Where is he?" she cried, her red hair hanging in her face.

"C'mon, let's go up," James told her. They hovered midair, seeing the people on the outside of the maze and the remaining creatures prowling through. Then- Harry! And a boy named Cedric, both grabbing the cup. A flash of light; James barely saw it as he flew down, but it was too late. The two boys had disappeared.

"We have to go get Dumbledore; he'll know how to get them back!" Lily said, beginning to sob. "If he-" she faltered; she had not spoken Voldemort's name since their deaths, "-finds him…James, he'll be killed!"

"I know." James said grimly, and they flew towards the end of the maze.

Then, the feeling! A strange tugging, toward the middle of the maze. James tried to ignore it, but it grew even more persistent. Lily felt it too, and flew harder. They were almost there! But the force brought them flying backwards, like a slingshot. James grabbed Lily's hand, but he watched his own hand disappear.

When he reappeared, he was in a graveyard. Harry; his wand alight and holding Voldemort's beam away from himself, the Death Eaters recoiling in horror.

"Don't let go, Harry!" James called. "Wait for your mother!"

Harry nodded, obviously exerted and holding onto his wand with both hands. After agonizing moments, Lily appeared too, looking around in horror.

"Alright, Harry. When you let go, you must hurry. Go to the Portkey and get out of here!" James said seriously. Harry nodded again and dived, grabbing the body of Cedric. He gave his parents one last longing look as they disappeared, then grabbed the Cup.


	8. Veil Pt1

**Author's Note- Hello! I cannot believe summer is almost over. I'm almost glad to get back to school, though…ugh, I can't believe I just said that. Well, one of the reviewers asked if there would be any longer chapters, and I said I wanted to stick with 5oo words. However, this time I'm going to make this chapter, 'veil' in two parts. This is part one, and they'll both be strictly OotP. Hope you enjoy!**

She felt a horrible sense of déjà vu as Harry lifted the prophecy to his ear and Sybil Trelawney's voice flooded her senses. Of course they knew of the prophecy- Dumbledore hadn't wanted them naïve to any aspect of the danger they were in. But they had never heard it, not until now. Harry was shaking visibly, and was still holding the prophecy as Lucius Malfoy made his way toward the group, Death Eaters sliding silently and quickly to fill any means of escape.

"How…" Lily asked.

"Lucius Malfoy is tricky, Lily. How did he get Harry here in the first place?" James asked, coming up beside her.

"He has Sirius!"

"No. He used an image of Sirius to lure Harry here. And now Sirius- and probably half the Order- are going to come."

Lily lowered her head. "You're right."

Then, a loud shout and several curses were shot out of the young children's wands. The Death Eater's staggered back, not by much, but enough for them to all escape. Vaugely, James recognized Neville Longbottem, the boy so close to being the Chosoen One. Ronald Weasley and his sister; Hermione; and Luna Lovegood were there with Harry, fighting off the adults with wonderful spells.

"What do they teach them?" James asked. "We didn't learn that in school!"

"James, hush!" Lily said, focusing so hard it was if she was fighting as well.

"Seriously!"

"Harry taught them most of it; and Moody was a lot of help last year," Lily finally said.

"Crouch taught them that," James huffed.

"Does it matter? James, can we do something?"

"No, Lily. Harry can do it. Look!"

Prophecy in hand, the small group of students had met up again with Harry and they were almost to the door. They jumped through the small opening to a room stranger than the previous one. All that was in it was a large arch, several feet over the children's heads, glowing eerily. James felt automatically drawn to it; he couldn't shake strange voices in his ears and a tugging on his clothes, and he knew Lily felt it too. Harry was staring at it with a strange awe mingling with fear.

"Don't you hear the voices?" Harry asked.

"What voices? It's just an empty archway, Harry," Hermione said, a look on her face showing she thought Harry was mad.

"I hear them too!" Luna exclaimed.

"I remember this; someone at the Ministry was talking about it. Some kind of veil…" James said, his eyebrows scrunched together.

Lily nodded, a faraway look on her face.

"I…I think I hear my Dad's voice…" she said dreamily. She took a tentative step towards it…and was apruptly blown back by something black and cloudy.

"Death Eaters!" James hissed. Within moments, a tornado of bodies formed, trapping all under its suffocating grip. When Harry finally struggled up, each of the members of Dumbledore's Army were held by a Death Eater, most smiling evilly. And, walking toward him slowly but mockingly was Lucius Malfoy.


	9. Veil Pt2

**Author's Note: Here's Part ii of 'Veil'. Still OotP related, and K plus. One measly little swear, is all. The 'h' word, so if that bothers you, sorry :/ Enjoy!**

"Were you really naïve enough to believe- that we would be thwarted by children?" Lucius' voice, so silky and calm was strangely detached from his angry face. "Now, the prophecy."

"If you hurt them, I'll break it."

"The choice is simple, Potter. Give me the prophecy, or watch your friends die."

Harry looked closely at the orb, the mist swirling around it, and heard the whispering voice once more. _'For neither can live while the other survives,_ was what it said. One of them would die… which one? Voldemort…Harry… there was no telling.

Well, at least not for Harry. For James and Lily, it was evident.

"Curse him, Harry!" James was calling. Of course, Harry didn't hear them, and his fingers twitched around the orb.

"Don't…" Lily said, but it was too late. Harry unsteadily held out his hand and dropped the orb into Malfoy's hand. Lucius seemed to relish holding it- no doubt, his Master would be pleased.

"James…" Lily said, pointing to an area near Malfoy's shoulder glimmering slightly. James grinned.

"Impossible."

"Get away from my godson," the unmistakable voice of Sirius Black said. As Lucius turned, the hall seemed to light as Aurors began pouring in. Tonks, her hair tousled... Moony, Mad-Eye, and a man named Kingsley poured in, wands ready. The Death Eaters changed tactics, releasing the children and pointing their own wands. A fierce battle began, but there was no missing Sirius pulling Harry aside, telling him to take his friends and get out.

No missing the prophecy smashing, Lucius' face a picture of misery.

There was no missing Bellatrix Lestrange, her eyes wild, as she shot the deadly Killing Curse at Sirius' chest.

No missing him falling into the Veil, and suddenly…appearing by James and Lily. James said nothing but stared at the spot where Sirius had sat; Lily immediately hugged Sirius fiercely.

"Padfoot?" he said uncertainly.

"What, Prongs? No welcome home?" Sirius said with a dry chuckle. "I can't say how this is how I thought I would die…"

James closed his eyes. "I can't believe it…"

"Cheer up. I'm here, aren't I? Well, I'll probably have to leave, go to Heaven…or Hell. Whichever is there for a troublemaker like me."

"You won't go to Hell."

"Nah, the Devil would just kick me out. It's good to see you again, James."

"Same, Sirius. But what does this mean?"

"Me dying; Voldemort being back? All a part of some big picture. It's gonna end with those guys, though," Sirius said, pointing to Hermione and Luna, holding their own against three Death Eaters.

"Dying made you philosophical, Padfoot," Lily said, wiping her eyes.

"I suppose," Sirius said, smiling. The smile faded, though. "I must go," he said sadly, looking at the Veil. "But what of you two?"

"We don't know. We're Harry's guardians, I suppose," Lily said.

"Fitting." James said. "Since we can't be there really."

Sirius smiled. "You've done just fine, Prongs," he said. With that, he seemed to grow transparent, and was gone.


	10. HalfBlood

**Author's Note; Well, this was not my favourite thing to write, I'll tell you that. I love the book version, and the movie version, so I kind of mixed the two up. All the same, my knowledge of both is a little rusty, so it may not be completely accurate. Enjoy!**

"Who's the Half-Blood Prince?"

"Who?"

"That's what is says. 'This book is property of the Half-Blood Prince.'"

"I dunno," Harry said. He was looking at the book, but Ginerva 'Ginny' Weasley was staring at Harry. As were Lily and James, as always.

"Ah…young love," James said, stretching out in a chair. Of course, no one else could see him except Lily. "I remember sixth year romaaance," he drawled out.

"Yes, you chasing me all around Hogwarts and never giving Remus and…" Lily trailed off, her eyes dark. "…Well, never letting him have a break."

"All love, Lily dear." James replied.

"But all the same…" Lily said. "What are the odds that Harry got Severus' old book?"

"Snivellus is the Half-Blood Prince?" James said incredulously.

"Yeah. I remember his book. Filled with notes in the margins.. I always told him that he should just write on parchment, but he never paid attention." She said fondly.

"When did you two stop talking?"

Lily sighed. "I don't even know. When he started hanging out with the first Death Eaters, really. Then…he called me a mudblood."

"I remember." Or, more particularly, he remembered the detention he'd served in the Forbidden Forest after he pushed Snape into the lake.

"I don't know what happened to him… he just changed…"

XXXXXX

It seemed as if Harry and Dumbledore had been gone forever. Of course, once they had Apparated away, Lily and James had lost them. After a frenzied search, they returned to the castle, floating in the air and watching the grounds.

"Where could they have gone?" Lily asked fearfully. They had heard screams from inside the castle. It seemed that Death Eaters had infiltrated the building. The teachers were holding their own, but the students were all in danger.

"I don't know, Lils. At least Harry is safe with Dumbledore…"

As soon as James spoke, the familiar whoosh of a broom cutting through the air sounded. Lily and James turned in harmony to see a broom with two on it ride through to the castle.

"Harry!"

"And Dumbledore…why didn't they just Apparate?" Lily asked.

"I have no way of knowing. But we need to warn someone," James said, taking off.

It took a while to find McGonagall and 'lead' her in the right direction: the Astronomy Tower. Lily and James hurried up to the top…and froze.

Draco Malfoy was backed by three Death Eaters, his wand pointed at Dumbledore. Harry was nowhere to be seen.

"What is he doing!" hissed Lily. "Why isn't he stopping Draco!" He, meaning Snape.

James knew all too well what Snape was doing. "Lily, find Harry." When he tried to argue, he yelled, "GO!" and she took off. There was silence for a long moment, and then Snape pushed Draco out of the way, taking out his own wand…

"James, I found him, he's under the Cloak, he's right down…" Lily said, but the blood drained from her face.

Because with two words, Snape had just single-handedly killed Albus Dumbledore.


End file.
